In the Polish town of Biała Podlaska, near the border with Belarus, 44-year-old Russian satirist Semyon Skrepetsky was shot dead on Monday morning, June 15. According to police, the perpetrator hit him with multiple shots from close range near a parking lot and then fled the scene; paramedics who were called could no longer save the artist. Because of the incident, police temporarily closed off part of the streets and stepped up security at schools and kindergartens.
Skrepetsky (whose real name, according to the exile outlet Meduza, was Robert Kuzovkov, a native of Altai) had lived in Poland since 2021, where he had gone due to fears of political persecution. He became known for caricatures and street performances mocking Vladimir Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and Joseph Stalin. Three days before his death, on the Russian state holiday on June 12, he had staged a demonstration in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin with an icon-caricature of Stalin and Putin.
A police spokesperson in Lublin stated that the circumstances suggest a planned murder: "If someone approaches a specific person on the street and shoots, everything indicates that they intended to kill them." According to him, the motive is not yet known. Reports about the perpetrator's detention are contradictory — some Polish media wrote about a suspect detained near the Belarusian consulate, while others denied this or stated that the detained individuals had been released. Polish police have not officially confirmed either an arrest or a motive, and the shooter may still be at large.
Some Russian opposition Telegram channels (such as Astra or Agentstvo) as well as some Polish websites have, without evidence, linked the murder to the Kremlin and speculated about a "contract killing"; Polish police have not confirmed this version, and independent confirmation is lacking. Moreover, Skrepetsky's profile is contradictory: besides Russian and Belarusian officials, he also satirically depicted the Ukrainian leadership and appeared in the Ukrainian Myrotvorets database — an angle that complicates a simple interpretation of the case. The investigation continues.
Update (June 17): The day after the murder, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that, based on findings so far, the act has a "political character," and also acknowledged a possible Russian trail. However, he emphasized that this was his political assessment, not a conclusion of the prosecutor's office, and that investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances. teraz.sk ↗
Tusk also revealed that both the police and Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) had independently offered Skrepetsky protection, which he had refused for unknown reasons — according to the prime minister, protection requires the consent of the protected person. France24 ↗
Two Belarusians who were detained in the vicinity of the Belarusian consulate were questioned by the prosecutor's office without charges being brought; according to later Polish reports, they were released from custody, as the initial hypothesis about their involvement was not confirmed. The shooter may therefore still be at large. Kronika Tygodnia ↗
The investigation also recalled another trail besides the Kremlin one: in one of his videos, Skrepetsky claimed that individuals of Chechen origin had located his residence via his IP address and had called him by phone, giving him two days to apologize for his caricatures — an angle that fits more with his satire of Kadyrov's Chechnya. Interia ↗
Updated Russian satirist and Putin critic Skrepetsky shot dead in Poland. Police call it a planned murder, motive unknown
On Record
👤
Vladimir Putin
Prezident Ruska
01.09.2026
„derzeit komplexen geopolitischen Lage"
Vyjadrenie na summite SCO v Biškeku
👤
Vladimir Putin
Prezident Ruskej federácie
10.05.2026
„Myslím, že ukrajinský konflikt sa blíži ku koncu"
Vyjadrenie na summite v Moskve počas oslav výročia víťazstva
This summary was written in cooperation with AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please verify information in the original sources below.
Sources (3)
🔥 You might also like
World
What Europe is Writing About: Spain Heads to Early Elections, German Intelligence Warns of Russia
Sánchez called elections for November 29 after housing decrees fell. Intruders gained access to data of 8.8 million Danes, German intelligence warns of Russia.
Economy & Business
Trump announced preparations for a huge Belarusian potash deal. Lukashenko said the same day that there are no free volumes
Trump announced a deal at a lower price than Canada's. Minsk said the same day it has no free volumes. And the road to America runs through Klaipėda.
World
What Europe is writing about: a drone delayed Zelensky's flight to Oslo, the ECB raised rates, Morocco threatens Spain over Ceuta
A drone delayed Zelensky's flight to Oslo, BSW plans talks with AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, and declassified CNI reports warn of Ceuta. A roundup from 37 countries.
Geographic locations
From our newsroom original
All →
Two tankers carrying Russian diesel change course, one heading to Brazil
Support for Ilse Aigner's candidacy for President of Germany grows
Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault
Hungary corrected Orbán's troop numbers for NATO. Slovakia lowered its estimates in the same table even more sharply
Mecca Pact Countries Held Their First Joint Talks in Tehran. They Agreed Only to Keep Talking
Cruise ship with over 3,300 people on board collided with two container ships in Bremerhaven
Swiss court convicts Belarusian over disappearance of Lukashenko opponent in 1999
International Criminal Court may use American software even under US sanctions
